Basics of Geometry

The necessity of geometry had been felt from ancient times in different parts o the world. The practical problems faced by people of ancient civilization had developed this branch of mathematics. Let us cite few examples.

With floods in the river, the demarcations of land owners on the river-side land were used to wipe out. In order to redraw the boundaries, the idea of area was introduced, the idea of area was introduced. The volumes of granaries could be measured by using geometry. The existence of Egyptian pyramids indicates the use of geometry from olden times. In Vedic period, there was a manual of geometrical construction, known as Sulbasutra's. Different geometrical shapes were constructed as altars to perform various Vedic rites.

Origination of Geometry

Through Geometry was developed and applied from ancient time in various part the world, it was not presented in a systematic manner. Later in 300 BC, the Egyptian mathematician Euclid, collected all the known work and arranged it in a systematic manner.

'Elements' is a classic treatise in geometry which was written by Euclid. This was the most influential book. The 'element' was used as a text book for several years in western Europe.

The 'elements' started with 28 definitions, five postulates and five common notions and systematically built the rest of plane and solid geometry.

The geometrical approach given by Euclid is known as Euclid method.

The Euclid method consists of making a small set of assumptions and then proving many other proposition from these assumptions.

The assumptions, made were obvious universal truth. The two types of assumption, made were 'axioms' and 'postulates'.